Display device



Dec. 31 1935.

N. J. LEIGH DISPLAY DEVICE Filed A ril 16, 1955 INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 31, 1935 DISPLAY DEVICE NathanJoseph Leigh, Great Neck, N. Y., assignor to Einson-Freeman (10., Inc.,' Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application April 16,

6 Claims.

My present invention relates generally to signs, and has particular reference to display devices for use in store windows or the like.

It. is a general object of my invention to provide a device of extremely simple structural character and of unusual attractive appearance,

contemplated to arrest and hold the attention of the passerby.

.The attractiveness and striking character of the present construction is predicated in part upon the ability of a lustrous colored surface, such as a colored metallic foil surface, to catch the eye. 'It is a particular feature .of my present 'deviceto arrange a surface of this character in: a novel relationship to a series of indicia, whereby the latter are caused to stand out in a highly effective and pleasing manner.

More particularly, it is a characterizing feature of my present construction to arrange a lustrous surface in the form of a cylinder directly behind a series of indicia, with the longitudinal edges of the cylindrical surface in contig'uous abutting'relation to the opposite edges of theindicia.

I am aware of the well known recourse to concave reflectors and the like, customarily employedforthe purpose of reflecting the rays from a source of. light arranged within the confines of the reflector. The effect produced by my present construction is,however, of a different kind, and of unusual attention-arresting character. My present device is of extremely simple character, 'not requiring the employment of an artificial source of light; and the unique contiguous relationship of the cylindrical lustrous surface and the separate indicia, as 'hereinbefore mentioned, produces an unusual array of highlights and refi'ections which are peculiarly striking and effective.

Another feature of the inventionlies in employing for the light-reflecting medium a resilient' strip of glossy'mateiial which is norm-ally fiatjand which is caused to partake of the cylindrical or concave configuration by pressure exerted' upon its longitudinal edges by'parts of the side-walls, the front wall having parts cut away 1935, Serial No. 16,571

to leave only a series of configured indicia which extend transversely from one longitudinal edge to the other. Mounted behind the front wall, and braced between the side walls, with its longitudinal edges in contact with the edges of the 5 indicia, is the normally fiat, resilient strip hereinbefore mentioned.

I. achieve the foregoing objects, and such other objects as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exemplified in 51.0 the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken sub- :15 stantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1*;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the outer portion of Figure lin its normally flat con- Figure 41is a fragmentary perspective view of 0 a modification;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a further modification; and

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-4; .ofFigure 5. Q

In the form of device illustrated in Figures 1-3,

a substantially rectangular blank of sheet material, such as cardboard, is scored along the lines H and I2 to form an oblong front wall It, the portion l3adjacent to the scoring I l'being adapted to form one rearwardlyextending side wall, and the portionll adjacent to'the scoring l Z'being adapted'to form another rearwardly extending side wall. In this construction, there are only two side walls 13 and I l, and they converge rearwardly when the device is setup so as to form a structure of substantially triangular cross-section. At the rear edges of the side walls, any suitable means may be provided for interconnecting these edges, and I have illustratively shown an added flap I5 which may be employed for this purpose, with the aid of glue, interconnecting tabs, or the like.

In accordance with my invention, the front wall it hasportions l6 cut out of it to leave only a series of indicia ll. It is to be noted that these indicia extend from edge to edge of the front wall,.i. e., upto the scoring line H on one side, and up to the scoring line l2 on the other. I have illustratively shown the indicia in the form of printed letters, but it will be understood that other indicia or configurations may be employed, if desired.

The device may or may not be provided with end walls, and for illustrativepurposes I have 5 shown an extension I8 at each end of the front wall I0, adapted to form a partial end wall for the device.

After the structure of Figure 3 is formed and set up, a normally flat, resilient strip'l9, having a width greater than that of the front wall I0, is deflected into the cylindrical or concave form shown in Figures 1 and 2 and is slipped endwise into the structure. The forward surface of this strip has a high lustre and is preferably of colored metallic paint or foil. Inherent resilience causes the strip to be pinched or braced between the rearwardly. extending side walls, thereby urging its longitudinal edges forwardly against the score lines H and I2, i. e., against the extremities of the indicia.

The device is then ready for use, and when set in a window, display counter, or similar position, a highly attractive result is produced. Because of the natural curvature of the reflector, due to its resilience, a series of pleasing highlights are produced, forming a sort of striated effect. In addition, the indicia produces a variety of reflections which are of fascinating character. Immediately adjacent to the edges of the indicia, the latterare directly reflected in the reflector I9, but these reflections do not continue toward the midportion of the reflector, because of its curvature. At the midportion, an entirely different reflection of the indicia is produced, in inverted form and on a reduced scale. The composite efiect is one which attracts the eye of the passerby and holds his attention. The highlights and reflections vary as the device is viewed from different angles.

Because of the simplicity of the structure, the reflector may be replaced by one of different color or lustre by the simple expedient of withdrawing it endwise from the structure and slipping into place another similar resilient strip.

The invention lends itself readily to a display sign in which the indicia are arranged vertically, as indicated in Figure 4. In the modification illustrated in this figure, the front wall has cutout portions 20 which leave the indicia 2 I. 7 These, as before, extend between the longitudinal edges 22 and 23 of the front wall. I have illustratively shown two rearwardly extending side walls 24 and 25, and in this case they are not rearwardly convergent but are joined together at their rear edges by what may be termed a rear wall 26. The method of setting up the structure, and interconnecting the rear edges of the side walls 24 and 25 is a matter of choice, and various ways will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

In Figure 4, the reflector 21 consists, as before, of a-normally flat, resilient strip of high metallic lustre, deflected into the concave or cylindrical relationship shown and held in position by the bracing action of the side walls 24 and 25 against the longitudinal edges of the reflector strip. These edges are maintained in'contiguous relation to the longitudinal edges 22 and 23 of the front wall.

. of the rear wall 34, and a cylindrical reflector strip 35 is braced between the walls 32 and 33, as hereinbefore described in connection with Figure 4. In Figure 4, the rear wall 26 is in contact with the reflector strip 21, but care must be taken against having the rear wall pressed forwardly against the reflector to destroy its normal pleasing curvature. In Figure 5, the rear wall 34 is shown spaced from the reflector 35, so that all 5 danger of this undesirable contact is avoided.

If desired, the side walls of the structures of Figures 4 and 5 may be slightly converged rearwardly, thereby effecting a sort of pinching action which holds the reflector strip forwardly in proper 10 position at all times.

In Figure 5, I have shown the added possibility of applying, by paint or otherwise, to the front surfaces of the indicia 29, a shading effect 36. This enhances the attractiveness of the device, 15 as will be obvious upon an examination of Figure 5. These indicia, however, are not round, as the shading might indicate, but are actually entirely flat, forming portions of the front wall of the structure. 7 20 In general, it will be understood that changes in the details, herein described and illustrated for the purpose of explaining the nature of my invention, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of 25 the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

It is, therefore, intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, and il- 30 lustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a display device, an integral blank of rigid sheet material shaped to form an oblong front wall and rearwardly extending side walls, '35 said front wall having parts cut away to leave only a series of configured indicia which extend transversely from one longitudinal edge to the other, and a cylindrical reflector behind said front wall and braced between said side walls with its'4'0 longitudinal edges in contact with the edges of said indicia.

2. In a display device, a blank of rigid sheet material shaped to form an oblong front wall and rearwardly extending side walls, said front wall4'5 having parts cut away to leave only a series of configured indicia which extend transversely from one longitudinal edge to the other, and a cylindrical reflector behind said front wall and braced between said side walls with its longitudinal edgesfi'fl in contact with the edges of said indicia, said reflector comprising a normally flat, resilient strip of glossy, metallic lustre having a width greater than that of said front wall.

3. In a display device, a blank of rigid sheet fi material shaped to form an oblong front wall and rearwardly extending side walls, said front wall having parts cut away to leave only a series of configured indicia which extend transversely from one longitudinal edge to the other, and a'6 cylindrical reflector behind said front wall and braced between said side walls with its longitudinal edges in contact with the edges of said inone longitudinal edge to the other, and a cylindrical reflector behind said front wall and braced'Yfi between said converging side walls with its longitudinal edges in contact with the edges of said indicia.

5. In a display device, a blank of rigid sheet material shaped to form an oblong front wall and rearwardly converging side walls, said front wall having parts cut away to leave only a series of configured indicia which extend transversely from one longitudinal edge to the other, a cylindrical reflector behind said front wall and braced between said converging side walls with its longitudinal edges in contact with the edges of said indicia, and separable means for securing said side walls together at their rear edges.

6. In a display device, a blank of rigid sheet material shaped to form an oblong front wall and rearwardly converging side walls, said front wall having parts cut away to leave only a series of configured indicia which extend transversely from one longitudinal edge to the other, and a cylindrical reflector behind said front wall and braced between said converging side walls with its 1ongitudinal edges in contact with the edges of said indicia, said reflector comprising a normally flat,

resilient strip of glossy, metallic lustre having a width greater than that of said front wall.

NATHAN JOSEPH LEIGH. 

